Steelers Now
A veteran quarterback seems to be off the table for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely have a new starting quarterback in 2026 after the departure of head coach Mike Tomlin. However, another veteran quarterback seems to already be off the board.
Former tight end Kyle Rudolph recently explained why he thinks the Steelers will not end up with Kirk Cousins in 2026.
“I just don’t see (Cousins) getting out of Atlanta,” Rudolph said Tuesday on “Up & Adams.” “They were willing to pay him $45 million to be the backup, and now you bring in a head coach and a play-caller that he’s very familiar with, so I don’t see him getting out of Atlanta.”
"I don't see [Kirk Cousins] getting out of Atlanta…"
Kyle Rudolph on his former teammate's future@KyleRudolph | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/l1z7qPh7iG
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 20, 2026
Cousins, 37, may not even be on Pittsburgh’s radar following his past two seasons in Atlanta. Cousins struggled in his first year with the Falcons, completing 303 of 453 passes (66.9%) for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions before being benched for rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Then in 2025, he stepped in for the injured Penix Jr., completing 166 of 269 passes (61.7%) for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games.
That, of course, has left much to be desired from Cousins, but the Steelers might be forced to look at options outside of the 2026 NFL Draft, which has been almost diminished of quarterback talent. To make matters worse, Pittsburgh isn’t scheduled to pick until No. 21 overall.
Nonetheless, the Falcons will have to decide whether they want to risk moving on from Cousins with Penix Jr. coming off a season-ending injury, but if they do, he may not come cheap.
Atlanta was reportedly looking for a third-round pick last year, which is likely far more than the Steelers would be willing to pay.
A fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Cousins has thrown for 44,700 yards, 298 touchdowns and 131 interceptions in his professional career.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Veteran Quarterback Ruled Out For Steelers in 2026
